Mining machine



T. E. PRAY MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 A 1,692,862 T. E. PRAY MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1924 z sheets-sheet 2 ifatented Nov. 27, 1928.

STATES 1,692,862 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. PRAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOODMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

l MINING MACHINE.

Application led December 26, 1924. Serial No. 758,036.

rFins invention relates to improvements in mining machines and more particularly to mining machines of the low vein type, so called because of their ability to be operate in rooms having relatively low ceilings and to cut close to the floor.

lt is to be understood that machines of the type herein disclosed are designed to be advanced transversely of the mine'wall and from right to left, with the body or main portion of the machine standing substan tially at right angles to the wall face. The cutter bar extends from the forward end of the machine, and into the wall or vein being eut, the cutter chain carried thereby, carrying the cuttings outwardly from the kerf and into a space in the forward part of the machine body.

To clear the cuttings as they are removed is the purpose of the device embodying the present invention, the same acting in conjunction with the cutter chain, to deliver the cuttings clear of the machine as the cutting progresses, as will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine with the top wall of the frame housing reversed;

Figure 2 machine with the side wall of housing broken away; and

is a view in side elevation of the the frame Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken j on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

rFhe machine embodying the invention consists generally of Va frame housing 1, in the form of a rectangular casing, elongate lengthwise of themachine and relatively reduced in height. Just behind the housing 1 is the motor housing .2,a separate casing, containing the motor 3. The frame and motor housings are joined end to end, both being bolted to a bottom plate or panel, on which the machine slides along the mine floor. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the housings are elevated above the bottom plate, there being a space between the bottom walls 1u and 2t1 of the housings and the plate, varying from about a quarter of the total height of the machine throughout the greater part of the bottom area, to a little more than half throughout the forward end of the machine and adjacent the path of the cutter chain 5, which is carried on the cutter bar 6, projecting from beneath the d The forward end of the ing to win and pay out the cables, on w `forward end of the machine a distance of 8 or 10 feet. The cutter chain is endless and consists of links, carrying cutting tools cutter bar carries an idle sprocket (not shown in detail) on which the chain travels in changing direction. Immediately beyond the rear end of the cutter bar and centrally of the frame housing is another sprocket 7, likewise carrying the cutter chain, this sprocket being driven by meehanism operatively connected with the motor 3, as follows:

Extending lengthwise of the'frame houslng is a main drive shaft 8, supported at its ends in bearings 9, 9, near each end of the housing. The armature shaft of the motor is extended through the adjacent end walls of the housings, into the frame housing, and carries at its end a spur gear f 10 The main drive shaft 8 carries a spur gear which meshes with the spur gear 11, said shaft being offset above the axis of the armature shaft as shown in Figure 3.

Loosely mounted in the main shaft 8 and at its forward end is a sleeve 12, having an integral bevel pinion 13, at its forward-en and clutch teeth 14 at its rear end. The pinion 13 meshes with and drives a bevel gear 15 keyed to the upper end of a vertical stub shaft 16, journalled in a sleeve bearing 17, cast integral with the bottom wall of the frame housing. At the lower end of the stub shaft 16 is the cutter chain driving sprocket 7, already mentioned. Clutch mechanism is provided for interrupting the movement of the cutter chain and consistd ing of a shiftable clutch sleeve 18, keyed to shaft 8, adjacent the pinion clutch sleeve having clutch forward end adapted to enteeth on the pinion the main drive sleeve 12 said teeth 18' at its gage the complementary sleeve 12 Clutch shifting mechanism consisting of a shifting yoke 19, .a rock shaft 20, and a clutch lever 21 (Figure 1) are provided `for shifting the clutch sleeve into and out of engagement.

In addition to driving the cutter chain, the main shaft also drives ltwo cable drums 22, 22, mounted -on a shaft 23, 4extending transversely of the frame housing and acthich the machine depends for its movement. The drive from the main shaft lto the drums 22, consists of a. worm 24 keyed to the shaft at f its forward end, meshing with a Worm wheel 23. At'the opposite end of the shaft- 26 isfy mounted a brake drum 29 and hand operated brake band 30, but since'these parts are not intimately connected with the-cutting action of the machine they need not be described in greater detail.

Referring now to the, mechanism embodying the improvement of the present invention, the same consists of an auxiliary chain conveyor 31, located for the most part in the space between the motor housing 2 and the bottom plate 4. This chain conveyor is likewise endless and extends generally from the rear end of the cutter chain to the rear end of the machine, its forward end beine` offset slightl from the center of the machine and towar the left or following side thereof, and extending rearwardly at an angle of substantially to the longitudinal axis of the machine. In this connection it is to be observed that openings from the space between the underside of the housings for the gearing, and the bottom plate 4, are provided along the following side of the machine immediately adjacent the forward end of the conveyor chain aswell as along the rear end of the machine. The 'conveyor chain differs from the cutter chain in that the links thereof are equipped with vertically set blades 32, which extend outwardly and at right angles to the chain.

The rear end of the conveyor chain turns on an idler sprocket 33 (Figure 3) journalled on a vertical stub shaft 34 mounted in a bearing 35, supported upon the bottom plate 4, The forward end of the conveyor chain is carried on a driven sprocket 36, keyed to a vertical shaft 37, journalled in a bearing sleeve 38, extending through the bottom wall l of the frame housinv from the interior thereof. Within a housing- 39 at the upper end of the bearing 38 is a worm wheel' 40, which meshes with a worm-4i, keyed to a short stub shaft 42, extending parallel with the main drive shaft 8. This stub shaft carries a spur pinion 43 which meshes with the drive pinion l0 on the armature shaft of the motor. As indicated by the arrows in Figure 1 both the clutch chain and the conveyor chain travel in a counter-clockwise direction, the former carrying the cuttings rearwardly into the space immediately surrounding the .driving sprocket 7 thereof, where they are thrown oif and outwardly as the cutter tools change direction. At this point the blades of the conveyor chain pick urp the cuttings and carry them on to t e opening at the rear end of the machine through which opening they are discharged.

It is to be observed that the general movement of the cuttings when they reach the rear end of the cutter chain is generally transversely of the conveyor chain, so that there is practically a continuous movement of the material in a rearward direction, that is from the front to the rear end of the machine. It is to be noted also that any cuttings that are not freed from the conveyor chain at the rear of the machine, but are carried forwardly on the return lead, would'be thrown off when reaching the forward end and dischar ed through the side opening, and from the ollowing side of the machine.

,The advantage of this construction is 4the provision of positive conveyinv means for disposing of the cuttings, a proalein that is always present in the operation of mining machines, since the cuttin s are ordinarily worth salvaging, and there` ore it is desirable that they be discharged at a point where the material can be handled readily by the workers, and at the same time, not interfere with the movement or operation of the niachine.

While have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it -will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may 'be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the particular construction illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A mining machine comprising a frame slideable on its bottom along a mine floor and having iexible draft means, a chain carrying cutter bar projecting forwardly of said frame, a motor rearwardly of said frame and cutter bar, an underframe vertically spacing said motor from the ground, and an endless conveyor extending lfrom a point adjacent the rearward portion of said cutter chain rearwardly beneath said motor for conveying the cuttings discharged from said cutter chain from the rear end of said machine.

2. A mining machine comprising a frame slideable on its bottom along a mine ioor and having flexible draft means, a chain carr ing cutter bar projecting forwardly of said frame, a motor rearwardly of said frame and cutter bar, an underframe vertically spacing said motor from the ground and opening to the rear and following side of the machine, and an endless conveyor extending from a point adjacent the rearward portion vof said cutter chain rearwardly beneath said motor for conveying the cuttings discharged from said cutter chain from the rear end of said machine.

3, Ina mining machine, a frame slide able on its bottom along a mine door and having iiexible draft means, a motor disposed liti` at the rear end of said frame, a chain carrying cutter bar projecting forwardly from said frame and disposed in front of said motor, said frame forming a channel for cuttings at opposite sides occupying substantially the same vertical dimensions as said cutter bar in front of said motor and an underframe spacing said motor vertically from the ground and forming a discharge passage of less vertical dimensions than the cuttings channel, and an endless conveyor extending from said cuttings channel at a point forward of said motor and rearwardly through said discharge passage underneath said motor for clearing the cuttings at the rear of said machine.

Pfl. ln a mining machine, a frame slideable on its bottom along4 a mine floor and having flexible draft means, a motor disposed at the rear end of said frame, a chain carrying cutter bar projecting forwardly from said frame, and disposed in front of said motor, said frame forming a channel for cuttings at opposite sides occupying substantially the same vertical dimensions as said cutter bar in front of said motor and an underframe spacing said motor vertically from the ground and forming 'a discharge passage of less vertical dimensions than the cuttings channel, an endless conveyor extending from said cuttings channel at a point forward of said motor and rearwardly through said discharge passage underneath said motor for clearing the cuttings at the rear of said machine, and means located forwardly of said motor and driven from the latter for actuating said conveyor.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook o and State of Illinois, this 24th day of December, A. D. 1924.

THOMAS E. PRAY. 

